The Greenville times., 1887-08-06

1REENVlLLE TINES
SATURDAY. AUGUST 9. 1857.
Prohibition nartrlne.

principle Of prohibition laws is
presented with force Of logic
winch can only be answered by
what one Of the great poets called
the "TyFant's plea, necessity
Thus Mr.. Davis's old friend Sena.
tor Reagan attempts to break its
force upou the Texas prohibition
election. The following are ex
tracts of Senator RS reply:
"Your letter is being read and
applauded by every saloon keeper
aud dram drinker in Texas to-day,
and il will cost q cause which many
Of us deem of the greatest impor-
tance many thousands OF votes,
and we fear may defeat the amend.
ment aud give the Endorsement Of
the people 10 the liquor traffic,
with the griefs, SORROWS aud crimes
which go with it,"
The fact that " saloon keepers
Sc. applaud this letter neither adds
TO nor detracts from its intrinsic
truth and merit. While Mr.. Dayls's
name will secure the general read.
ing of his letter, II will be of in
iiuence just in proportion to the
degree of those qualities contain
cd.
"You object to this amendment
because the world is governed too
much. Our laws prohibit the car.
rying of pistols, bowie knives and
brass kauckles, and punish those
carrying them by fine and impris.
onment. Our laws prohibit aud
provide for the punishment of
many other things which are inju.
rious to society, aud which restrain
the personal liberty of the citizen.
You admit that the intcmperate
use of liquor is the root OF many
social disorders. No one can
truthhully deny the baneful effects
OF the liquor traffic. But you
think with many others that to
prohibit it will be an abridgcment
Of personal liberty"
This is an evasion il not per.
version, OF Mr.. Davls's text. lie
DOES deny the "bancful effect of
liquor traffic. per se. lie ASSERTS,
not "admits," that "the INTEMpER.
ATE use Of liquor is the root of
many social disorders And
that "actlon should be directed on
the abuse and not the use Of II.
qnor.' But to get rid of the dead
branch the prohibitionists would
uproot the tree; with what success
the jug trade in he prohibition
counties and the report of the
Auditor of Keokuk county, Iowa,
which we publish, shows.
Mr.. Davis makes one most en-.
couragiDg assertion to the truth
of which we can testify. He says
VI might appeal to men not as
old as myself to sustain the asser'
tion that the convivial use of in.
toxlcants, aud the occurrence oil
drunkenness had become less fre,
queut within the last twenty years
than II was before. The refining
influences of education and Chris.
tianity may he credited with this
RESULT
There IL not the attention be.
slowed upon this change which
its Importance aud value demand,
AS incidental proof of its truth we
will refer to the tho fact that while
Grecnville has doubled its popula.
tion aud it's tradein the past seven
years, tho number of saloons have
not increased. There is one whole
sale liquor house against three
then. And that tho saloons do
not do ono half tho husinpgs
now that they did then, their
keepers will make affidavit. A
yet more striking evidence of the
decrease in drinking conviviali.
ty recently came under our oh.
scrvation. We recently attended
SOCIAL entertainment, a dancing
party, at house renowned for the
liberality of its entertainments be.
yond any other in the county dur.
fng the past fifteen or twenty years.
We were truly impressed with the
change which has grown over so.
cicty since the days when party
gong was habit of ours. Dan.
cling was kept up until morning and
during the entire night the "side.
board groaned under the burden
Of one deeanter OF whiskey, which
wac not exhausted. Indeed the
young men of the party did not
touch it. In the by gone time
ut snch n party, the consump
iion woeld have gone into thG
gallons. At a barbecue near Ar
cola recently there was, we are
assured, absolutely nothing ~
proaching intoxication or exces
sive drinking. How would it hav,
been there ten years ago These
are true signs of moral improve
inent, encouraging to all right thin
king people.
We are not TO be understood as
approving the present order o
licensing aud regulating the salt